Pentagon official charged with conspiracy to pass secrets to ChinaPublished on 05-13-2009

A Pentagon official formerly of the US Air Force has been charged with conspiracy to pass classified information to an agent of China, the US Justice Department said Wednesday.

A criminal complaint said that retired Lieutenant Colonel James Wilbur Fondren, a deputy director of the US Pacific Command's Washington Liaison Office, "unlawfully and knowingly conspired" to communicate secrets.

"The allegations in this case are troubling -- providing classified information to a foreign agent of the People's Republic of China is a real and serious threat to our national security," said Dana Boente, acting US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

"The US government places considerable trust in those given access to classified information, and we are committed to prosecuting those who abuse that trust."